The present invention relates to recording/reproducing head slider suitable for magnetic heads, particularly thin film magnetic heads, to be used in computers, audio apparatus, video recorder or the like.
Generally, the sliders of the recording/reproducing (hereinafter represented simply by "recording") heads (i.e., transducing heads) for computers, audio apparatus, video recorders and the like have hitherto been manufactured of substrates of ferrites such as polycrystalline Ni-Zn ferrite, Mn-Zn ferrite or single crystalline Mn-Zn ferrite; and permalloy with a high hardness. With respect to the sliding-lubricating property with magnetic recording medium the ferrite type slider substrates have long been preferred.
Recent trends have been recognized in that the magnetic heads have become more and more of the thin film type in order to cope with the attempts to realize a higher recording density and a smaller size. Under such circumstances, various properties have recently been considered to be requisite for the magnetic head sliders. Among various properties, the sliding-lubricating property upon use (compatibility with recording media), wear resistance (durability of the magnetic heads), and additionally precision machinability and easy-to-process property (good machinability) upon manufacturing are considered to be essential. However, it has been recognized that the ferrite type sliders cannot meet the requirements for the wear resistance and the precision machinability.
More recently, some new types of sliders based on different materials have been proposed, among which, e.g., an Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 -TiC type slider (U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,841) is counted typical one. This Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 - Tic type slider is on the one hand superior to the ferrite type sliders with respect to the wear resistance and precision machinability but, on the other hand, inferior thereto with respect to the sliding-lubricating property resulting in a large wear on a corresponding surface of the recording media. The latter fact is counted to be serious drawbacks to be overcome.
Thus there is still much to be desired in the art in improving the recording head slider.